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Launch of Survey on Drug Errors in Anaesthesia

The HSRC has approved the distribution of a survey by Dr Mark Sandby-Thomas (Consultant, University Hospital of Wales) and Dr Gemma Keightley (Specialist Trainee, University Hospital of Wales) on drug errors in anaesthesia.

According to the researchers, the survey is very straightforward and will take less than ten minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed by clicking on this link:

Your participation and assistance with promoting this survey would be greatly appreciated. If you have any queries regarding the survey, please email research@niaa-hsrc.org.uk.

Survey Background and Survey

Drug errors are a national problem that can happen to anyone at any time, and the rate has stubbornly remained the same for two decades. The NPSA have previously calculated that drug errors cost the NHS more than £750 million each year in England alone, and even then the problem is probably under-reported.

The aim of this survey is to assess the "real" scope of the problem. It is, therefore, completely anonymous and will not require any specific patient, doctor or location details. Rest assured that you can answer the questions with full honesty and candour. This will enable us to gain a true picture of the problem, to ascertain its effects on patients and staff and to seek possible solutions. Your responses will be useful even you have not personally been involved in a drug error. However, to prevent double counting of incidences, it may be best to ensure that any other doctors involved in a particular drug error do not fill in details of the same situation. If this is not possible, then it would be best to respond anyway.